Snare attachment for drums.



H. A. BOWER.

SNARE ATTACHMENT FOR DRUMS. APPLICATION FILED AUG.25. 1916.

' 1,236,667, Patented Aug. 14, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEEY l.

H. A. BOWER.

SNARE ATTACHMENT FOR DRUMS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-25,1916.

1 ,236,667. Patented Aug. 14, 1917.

2 $HE-ET$-SHEET 2. J I; 5 G

I N \/DE NTU ARRy E1 TIMER IVQ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY A. BOWER, 0F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SNARE ATTACHMENT FOR DRUMS.

Application filed August 25, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY A. Bowen, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of h Iassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Snare Attachments for Drums, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates generally to snare drums and has for its object to provide a novel and eflicient snare attachment therefor.

Ordinarily the lower portion of a snare drum must be formed with a snare bed, in order to insure an engagement of the snares with the head and their vibration when the upper head is beaten. As a result of long experience as a drummer and in teaching the art, it became apparent to me that as heretofore practically constructed drums having snare beds formed therein by cutting away the shell or a portion of the hoop appear not to produce under all conditions the character of the sounds desired, and as a result, I have invented and shall subsequently explain in detail an attachment which has proved itself to be highly desirable, not only in overcoming defects such as previously noted, but also in possessing numerous other advantages which will be appreciated by practical drummers.

Among the objects of the invention are to provide an attachment, which, as substantially a unitary structure can be attached to the drum, and produce its own snare bed, to provide for a variation in the tension of the snares, to provide for a bodily adjustment of the snares so that they lie in different planes substantially parallel to the head, and to provide for a rapid disengagement of the snares from the head when a muffled tone is desired. The manner in which these and other objects are attained will be described subsequently.

On the drawings Figure 1 shows in side elevation a drum equipped with an embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 represents a bottom plan view thereof, so as to show the lower head and the snare attachment.

Fig. 3 represents an enlarged vertical cross section through the drum and the attachment.

Fig. 4 illustrates how one of the brackets is attached to the tension rods and hooks.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 14, 1917.

SerialNo. 116,829.

Fig. 5 shows in perspective view the bracket detached.

Fig. 6 shows the slide for holding certain snares in inactive position.

It is unnecessary to describe the drum illustrated on the drawings, as a complete description thereof is contained in my copending application Serial No. 50,162, filed Sept. 11, 1915, and moreover the invention is not limited to any particular drum structure. I may say, however, that the particular drum selected for illustration comprises a cylindrical barrel or shell 10 having outturned beads or flanges 11 at the ends thereof. The beating or upper head 12 is secured to a hoop, formed of a metallic circular tube, by tucking the margins of the head about the hoop, and the lower or snare head is secured in a similar manner to a similar hoop 1st. The two hoops which serve as both tension hoops and skin hoops, so called, are engaged by tension hooks, each consisting of two hooks 16, 16, the shanks of which are oppositely threaded and are operatively engaged with a coupling or turnbuckle 17 Proceeding now to a description of the snare attachment, the particular embodiment of which I have illustrated, but to the details of construction of which I do not limit myself, said attachment comprises a plurality of snares 18. Each snare is preferably, though not necessarily metallic and consists of a wire helix formed with hooks 19 at its ends. These hooks are engaged in apertures formed in rows in the ends of two members or carriers 20 spaced apart by means to be described. Each member or carrier may with convenience be formed of a metallic plate bent to shape, and having near its apertured inner end a rib or bead 21 to engage and rest against and be embedded in the skin or diaphragm forming the snare head. The carrier has a portion 22 perpendicular to its inner end, a portion 23 parallel to the head, and an outer hook-like end portion 2% parallel to that at 22. The portions 22 and 2A are each apertured to receive a metallic stretcher bar 25. Near one end the bar has a cross pin 26 secured thereto over which the end portion 2% of one of the carriers is hooked. A similar pin 27 is passed through a longitudinal slot in the bar and engages the hooked end of the other member or carrier.

The bar is tubular, and the last mentioned pin, 27 is carried by a slide 28 inserted in the end of the bar and having an outwardly projecting threaded shank 29 with a thumb nut 30 thereon so that it can be longitudinally adjusted to vary the tension of the snares. If desired I may secure in the groove formed by the bead 21, a cross piece 31 for purposes of increasing the rigidity and strength of the rib or bead.

The bar 25 and its cross pins serve to space the snare carriers apart, and to preserve the proper tension on the snares. Said cross bar projects or extends across the snare head and is attached to the drum by any suitable means. Preferably I employ such attaching means as will enable the snares to be quickly disengaged from the head. As illustrated the bar or support 25 is connected at its ends to brackets 32, 33, each having threaded apertures to be engaged by two adjacent tension hooks, so that it may be adjusted toward or from the head. Between the bracket 32 and the bar there is an adjustable connection or tension rod consisting of a metallic strip 34 apertured at its end to receive the threaded shank 29, and longitudinally slotted (if desired) to receive a screw 35 passed into the hoop 14. To the other end of the strip is secured a threaded shank 36 passed through an aperture 37 in the bracket 32, and having an internally threaded knob, nut or sleeve 38 thereon which engages the bracket. By rotating the knob or nut the end of the bar 25 may be adjusted toward or away from the snare head. The connection comprising the strip and the shank are bent angularly to escape the hoop 14, as shown in Fig. 3. I may say that the strip lies between the end of the bar 25 and the thumb nut 30, as is apparent from an inspection of the drawing.

The tension or connecting rod, extending from the bar 25 to the bracket 33, is not materially difierent from that just described.

It consists of a rod 39 formed as shown in.

Fig. 3 to escape and pass outside the hoop 14, and having a bent end inserted in the end of the bar 25 and secured therein by a cross pin 40, on which it has a limited rocking movement. The rod is passed through a keyhole slot 41 in the bracket 33, and is threaded to receive an adjustable knob, nut or sleeve 42. The latter has two shoulders separating three portions of increasing diameter, a, b and c. The smaller portion will occupy either end of the keyhole slot 41, whereas the intermediate portion can occupy only the larger end of said slot. Hence by moving the knob 42 to the right of the position shown in Fig. 3, the portion 7) of the knob will enter the larger end of slot 41, and permit the snares and the bar 25 to spring away from the snare head and thus cause the drum, when beaten, to produce a muflied tone. Similarly the drummer by drawing the knob upward and moving it toward the center of the drum can move the portion a into the smaller end of the slot so that the shoulder at the end of portion b will by engagement with the wall of the slot hold the snares in active position. Either of these two operations takes but an instant of time. When the connecting bar 39 is released from the bracket, the pressure of the snare head on the snare support at the opposite end of the bar 25 forces the freed end of said bar and said snares away from the head 15, as will be readily understood.

For the purpose of preventing lateral movement of the connecting rod 39 longitudinally of axis of the drum, I may employ a clip 43 secured to the hoop 14 by a screw 44 and having a slot 45 to receive said rod 39.

From the foregoing description it will be quite apparent that I have entirely obviated the necessity of fitting or equipping the drum with a snare bed, since the two snare carriers when pressed into the head form their own snare beds. The depth to which the ribs or beads 21 may be depressed into the head may be varied by the means of adjustment which I have previously described, and in any event I am able to secure a perfect correlation of the snares and the head. The snares are rendered highly sensitive to vibrations of the beating head, and respond to the slightest touch on any portion of said beating head.

I provide means for throwing out of action any desired number of snares. This consists of a slide 46 on the bar 25 having hooks or wings 47 over which some of the snares may be sprung to hold them away from the head. \Vhen not in use the said device may be slid to the end of the bar where it will be out of the way.

The whole attachment, comprising the brackets, the connecting rods, the snares and the snare carriers, is inexpensive to manufacture, and can be easily and quickly placed on a drum. The snares can be brought to and maintained at any desired tension, and the snare carriers, when once adjusted, are rigidly spaced and held apart by the bar.

I have found that when an attachment comprising spaced and connected snare carriers are employed, with means for depressing the carriers into the head to form the snare bed, the snares are highly responsive to vibrations of the beating head; even though the point of impingement of the stick upon the head is close to the shell.

What I claim is:

1. A snare attachment for drums comprising spaced snare carriers, snares secured to said carriers, a bar connected to and extending between said carriers for holding them apart, and means for attaching said bar to a drum. I

2. A snare attachment for drums comprising spaced snare carriers adapted to rest upon the head of the drum within the perimeter thereof, snares secured to and extending between said carriers, and means for attaching said carriers to the drum and adapted to embed said carriers in the drum head to form a snare bed.

3. A snare attachment for drums comprising snares, spaced snare carriers to which the ends of said snares are secured, each carrier having a rib transverse to the snares and located beyond the ends of the snares for embedment in the drum head, means for attaching said carriers to the drum and for embedding said ribs in the head.

4:. A snare attachment for drums comprising spaced snare carriers, snares secured to and extending between said carriers, a stretcher bar to which said carriers are attached, and means for securing said bar to the drum.

5. A snare attachment for drums comprising spaced snare carriers, snares secured to and extending between said carriers, a stretcher bar to which said carriers are attached, means for efl'ecting a relative adjustment of said carriers toward and from each other to vary the tension of the snares, and means for attaching said bar to a drum.

6. A snare attachment for drums comprising snares, spaced snare carriers to which the .ends of said snares are secured, each carrier having a rib transverse to the snares and located beyond the ends of the snares for embedment in the drum head, a stretcher bar carrying said carriers, and means for securing the ends of said bar to the drum.

7. A snare attachment for drums comprising snares, spaced snare carriers to which the ends of said snares are secured, each carrier having a rib transverse to the snares and located beyond the ends of the snares for embedment in the drum head, a stretcher bar substantially parallel to the snares for carrying said carriers, means for efiecting a relative adjustment of said carriers longitudinally of said bar, and means for attaching said bar to a drum.

8. A snare attachment for drums comprising spaced snare carriers, snares secured to and extending between said carriers, a stretcher bar extending between carriers for supporting them, connecting rods at the ends of said bar, and means for securing said connecting bars to the drum,

9. A snare attachment for drums comprising brackets adapted for securement to the sides of a drum, a stretcher bar adapted to extend across the drum head, tension rods for connecting the ends of said bar to said brackets, spaced snare carriers carried by said stretched bar, and snares having their ends secured to said carriers.

10. A snare attachment for drums comprising a stretcher bar adapted to extend across the drum head in a line parallel to the plane of said head, spaced snare carriers attached to said bar, snares whose ends are secured to said carriers, brackets adapted to be secured to opposite sides of the drum, and tension rods for attaching said bar to said brackets.

11. A snare attachment for drums comprising a stretcher bar adapted to extend across the drum head in a line parallel to the plane of said head, snare carriers secured to said bar and arranged transversely thereof, snares stretched between said carriers, and means for attaching the ends of said bar to the drum and including devices for quickly throwing the snares into and out of active position.

12. A snare attachment for drums comprising a stretcher bar adapted to extend across the drum head in a line parallel to the plane of said head, spaced snare carriers secured to said bar, snares stretched between said carriers, brackets adapted to be secured to opposite sides of the drum, tension rods for connecting the ends of said bar with the brackets, and means enabling one of said rods to be moved to place the bar and the snares in an inactive position.

18. A snare attachment for drums comprising a stretcher bar adapted to extend across the drum head in a line parallel to the plane of said head, spaced snare carriers secured to said bar, snares stretched between said carriers, brackets adapted to be secured to opposite sides of the drum, tension rods for connecting the ends of said bar with the brackets, means for adjusting said rods to position the snares, and means enabling one of said rods to be moved to place the snares in an inactive position.

14:. The combination with a drum h. ving a shell, heads, and tension hooks, of a snareattachment comprising brackets engaged with diametrically opposite tension hooks, a stretcher bar extending across one of the drum heads, snare carriers on the bar, snares stretched. between said carriers, and tension rods connected to the ends of said bar and having threaded shanks extending through apertures in said brackets, and adjusting knobs on said shanks engaged with said brackets.

15. The combination with a drum having a shell, heads, and tension hooks, of a snare attachment comprising brackets engaged with diametrically opposite tension hooks, a stretcher bar extending across one of the drum heads, snare carriers on the bar, snares stretched between said carriers, and tension rods connected to the ends of said bar and having threaded shanks extending through apertures in said brackets, and adjusting knobs on said shanks engaged with said brackets, the aperture in one of said brackets being in the form of a keyhole slot and the associated knob having shouldered portions adapted to occupy different portions of the slot and thereby enable the snares to be moved to active and inactive positions at will.

16. The combination with a drum having a shell, heads including skin hoops, and tension hooks, snare carriers located within the perimeter of one of the drum heads, snares stretched between said carriers, and means secured to the sides of the drum between the skin hoops for positively embedding said snare carriers in the head.

17 The combination with a drum having a shell, heads, and tension hooks, snare carriers located within the perimeter of one of the drum heads, snares stretched between said carriers, and means secured to the sides of the drum for positively embedding said snare carriers in the head, and including a stretcher bar to which the snare carriers are secured, and tension rods extending from the ends of said bar to diametrically opposite sides of the drum.

18. A snare attachment for drums comprising snares, a bar parallel with the snares, a member thereon with which the snares may be engaged between their ends and held out of engagement with the drum head, and means for attaching said bar to a drum.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

HARRY A. BOVVER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

